1. All further commentary even vaguely related to Anthony Coghill will be gladly accepted at Matt H Exposed. Not here. It's just too much, and it's so not interesting.

2. Speaking of that blog, it now has an okay post online with an interesting comment thread. I feel like there is a point somewhere to that discussion, but I'm sure almost nobody knows what it is yet. (Matt H Exposed)

3. Apparently the Kaplan Plan for state oversight is the only one worth reporting on, by virtue of the fact that it appears likely to be the only one voted upon. I wonder what would happen procedurally if the Council just insisted upon using the Pittsburgh plan (the plan briefly known as the Peduto Plan) as its framework, stubbornly. I think it would be amusing and instructive to hold up this Pittsbugh Plan for awhile against old man whathisface's plan. (Trib, Jeremy Boren)

"Commuters being tapped..." -- I don't know about that stylistically in terms of a headline, but yes! Bring it on. We like this, Pittsburgh. Commuter tax now. (P-G, Rich Lord)

*-UPDATE: Mayor Luke holds firm, and draws flak from a state senator from McCandless who wants the free lunch for her constituents to continue forever.

"If he thinks taxes are the first option, he's delusional, in this economy," said state Sen. Jane Orie, R-McCandless. "He needs to live within his means. (P-G, Rich Lord)

Pittsburgh's "means" presently consist of bankruptcy, dilapidation and ruination. Stop oppressing us and chip in to our region's future.

5. For those of you who may have already visited Alpark Terrace: apologies if the foliage and perhaps some of the atmosphere disappointed. At the time of my visit around a month ago, the grounds were indeed "well manicured" and "Bambi-like" and all that. However, some reports indicate that elements of maintenance has slipped -- grass growing four inches and higher generally, and the such. Aside from that however things remain as they are. (Pittsburgh Comet)

I should go away, but I've learned something since November. I want to write. It's so simple. I'm taking a risk that my identity will be revealed, and I've prepared myself for that day my mask is ripped away. I have the unemployment papers filled out and everything. (Pittsburgh Magazine . com)

That doesn't mean it's okay to snoop and gossip. If you start getting investigatory, 97% of the bloggers in this town will give you an involuntary colonoscopy with a space telescope. Yarone Zober is also a big fan, so you know, consider that.

*-8. Wade Lipscomb, a barber shop owner from Homewood, was appointed by Gov. Ed Rendell to serve on the PA regulatory board for barbers and barbarism.

Wade’s barbershop has insistently invested back into our communities by participating in programs such as Take a Health Professional to the People Day, The Fight Against Cancer Initiative, blood pressure awareness screenings (sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University School of Nursing), and H.A.I.R. (healthy advocates in reach and research). (Councilman Burgess release)

Great stuff -- though hopefully the Rev got even more out of the deal!

The full 9+ page letter to the Coordinators is available to download in PDF format from his Council district's website. Councilman Peduto ends his introductions with this statement:

We need an $80 million structural change to our budget.

And he begins his closing argument like this:

Getting It Done.

We have the opportunity to fix Pittsburgh's budget. It won't be easy and it can't be approached like a menu -- every one of these steps is necessary to create a City budget in 2015 that is strong, sustainable and fair.

The goal of our Finance Chair's agenda seems to be -- at least implicitly -- to withdraw triumphantly from state oversight in 2015. So it may be more of a 6+ year agenda than a 5 year plan, but why get lost in semantics.

EDITORIAL COMMENTS: Most if not all of the items on the agenda seem like good ideas, but almost all of them will have to be negotiated painstakingly with a host of other governments -- and a few would have to be voluntarily and consistently adopted by the Mayor as operating policy.

It looks like Pittsburgh can do just one of these with little apparent fuss -- item number 3. Might as well get on that!

*-UPDATE: Some of the details, most likely embedded within items numbers 5, 6 and maybe 7, are predictably enough setting off alarms in our fire halls. (Post-Gazette) MORE UPDATE: Or do we have a case of dueling plans: Kaplan's and Peduto's? "Now enter the bureaucrats..."

**-UPDATE: Either way, I look forward to working with the administration in together scrupulously ignoring what will be understandable but mostly unsupportable protestations voiced by some in our Fire Bureau. Down with Murphyism!!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

1. Natalia Rudiak jumps into the beneficent, hyperactive and enigmatic position that Ricky Burgess occupied originally two years ago.

2. Ricky Burgess's shift is made overt into Jim Motzik's position as the occasional Hammer of the Administration.

3. Sala Udin takes over for Tonya Payne, which is really the big news of the night. Only this time Udin will be younger, a different person, and eager to demonstrate his independence and individualism.

4. Patrick Dowd will take over for Bill Peduto, in at least a couple of respects. Man, have you ever seen a victor coldly ask a loser to apologize after an election? I mean, in America? You might remember that in March of 2008, Patrick Dowd referred to Pat Ford on at least one occasion as "unethical" -- and then Ford complained publicly and famously that it is difficult working productively with a City Council that uses words like "illegal" and "unethical". So this is all sounding very familiar.

5. Bill Peduto will take over for Doug Shields. Doug Shields will take over for Bruce Kraus. Bruce Kraus will ... um, he'd have to take over for Patrick Dowd. Right.*-CORRECTION: No, Doug Shields becomes the Patrick Dowd of two years ago in that circumstance, and Bruce Kraus remains Bruce Kraus. This business is all a net plus to boot, so long as the Dowd of today takes whatever true, measured lessons Dowd should take from Doesn'tplaywellwithothersI'minthemiddlegate to heart. But this is all very advanced math that is not yet interesting.

So you can call it a 3-6 Council, to the extent that that is useful. Everything as always will be driven by its particulars.

6. Luke Ravenstahl will remain Mayor.

Being Mayor is still extremely important, obviously. A mayor is charged with and fully empowered to run the government. Almost everything regarding the day-to-day, month-to-month practice of running the government is always held so far away from any Council it is a little troublesome in my opinion, but that's our Home Rule Charter. On top of that, there is nothing to indicate that certain things won't be kept even more extra far-away from the new Council than usual. Yes there is state oversight, but oversight doesn't oversee operations.

On top of all that, let's face it: a mayor can do a lot of things for a given council district and its residents and stakeholders. Without Motznik and Payne to kick around for very much longer, it will probably become a fun sport among Council's new majority to defect to "the mayor's side" on occasion just to get things done. Hopefully they will all select their opportunities cannily.

However -- a six vote majority is materially different than a five vote majority. A six vote majority can override a veto. A six vote majority can sit and write legislation with the expectation of being able to override its eventual veto. A six vote majority can initiate actions from among its own slender portfolio of extralegislative powers more easily than can a five vote majority.

I am out working the polls, so this message has been generated using Blogger's automatic time-release function. One of the tricks of the trade.

I'm not really going to be available to live-blog the election night drama and returns. However you may all consider this an open thread to share stories and breaking news, talk trash, discuss incoming vote totals and pontificate upon the future of civilization.

In fact, I'd really appreciate it if people posted results in this space. Makes my life simpler.

Of course I will have my Blackberry to play around with, so maybe I'm not giving myself enough credit. It'll worth checking back periodically. Also, remember these guys will be on the scene like a voting machine.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Just seconds after exiting I-279 South and getting onto the head of Banksville Road, make the very first possible right hand turn. Drive straight along a little service road parallel to the highway.

Pass the barbecue restaurant. Pass "Two Guys Auto Garage". Bear right once more behind the Days Inn and you'll see it.

But you won't believe it.

There you will see a trailer park, but not one like you've seen or imagined. Flowers and immaculately manicured shrubbery tastefully dot the landscape. A road with two rows of trailers goes up a hill, into the trees, then zigzags twice through the woods even further up the hill. On the upper, terraced portion, the privacy and even dignity afforded its residents rivals most of what you'll find anywhere in urban living.

Some words that come to mind are "Ewok Village".

Alpark Terrace has been described by a frequent Comet commenter as a "paradise for the poor", and it's easy to see why. It is also by far the oldest, though perhaps only, trailer park in the City of Pittsburgh -- having been continuously owned by the same family since the 1940's.

This year, that family finally sold the property -- to Boilermakers Local 154, across the street. The new owners evidently have new plans for the land.

Alpark Terrace residents in March received notices that they must vacate the premises by September. Some residents are organizing to see if anything can be done to help them stay in their homes.

The residents' reaction to the news has not been monolithic. Some are getting litigious. Some residing on the lower portion blame "those folks from up the hill" (it's just like any other neighborhood) for inviting the irritation of the previous owners by haggling over utility bills. Many are saddened, but resigned to vacating as only the fair thing to do.

They just don't know where they'll find an option a tenth as nice -- let alone within the City of Pittsburgh, or even vaguely nearby.

I think one thing we're talking about here is "affordable housing", and more of it disappearing. We're also talking about a man made site that is very old, very unique and extremely well-maintained. It would be an excellent candidate for Historic Review, were it nominated. Property owners never appreciate third-party nominations, but the fact is that no one really knows what they have until it is about to be lost. That's why our rules are as they are, and that's how Pittsburgh came to be such an architectural and civil treasure.

Go check it out. Tell me what you think of it. I'll return to the subject from time to time, though infrequently.

I had an opportunity to chat briefly with Don Walko, current State Representative and party-endorsed candidate for judge on the Court of Common Pleas.

I asked him if he was going to fix up the Water Authority for us -- $46 million in lost infrastructure sounded awful alarming.

"First of all," Walko started, and then he just unloaded on Patrick Dowd.

"I've never heard of a board member holding a press conference after a board meeting," he objected menacingly. I didn't notice his neck, but I imagine it might have been reddening.

And later: "That was private information he released! You can't do that!"

After being steered back to the subject of water infrastructure, Walko said the fund transfer was essentially misinterpreted. The funds were really taken out of infrastructure projects and into bond repayments in order to "free up" space on the infrastructure balance sheet, in anticipation of refilling it with federal stimulus dollars.

I didn't get a chance to ask him whether that would jeopardize Pittsburgh's chances of using stimulus money on different -- perhaps more innovative -- initiatives that otherwise would go unrealized.

And whether the shift that took place is not in a sense using federal money to again bail out undeserving investment banks.

##

Are you a member of the "No Dannies Club"? Would you like to be?

As you can see, the literature to the left was paid for by the Sensible Constituents of District 6.

The flier states that "Lavelle is currently under investigation by the State's Attorney General". I believe the Sensible Constituents are getting Tom Corbett confused with Matt H. An easy mistake for anyone to make, let's let it slide.

The largest last-minute contribution to Ravenstahl is $15,000 from three executives of The Forza Group, a real estate company that arranged to meet with city planning officials to discuss building at least one hotel in Pittsburgh.

Planning Director Noor Ismail declined to discuss details of the project because the company hasn't applied for approval.

Ravenstahl said he wasn't familiar with the firm. (Trib, Jeremy Boren)

As our friends have suggested, read those sentences a few times and let them ferment.

After the last financial filing deadline, and just prior to the election, three executives (one two three) from the same real estate company each make a whopping contribution to the Mayor -- and have met with planning officials for the purposes of figuring how to get a hotel built -- but that information is classified for some reason -- and the Mayor states flatly he is not at all familiar with the firm.

Methinks he doth deny too much.

Mr. Ravenstahl's campaign commercials are good, but not that good. No one just sits at home and thinks to themselves, "Look at how he flips through those blueprints and points at them! I'm giving him $5,000 immediately, and asking my two business partners to do the same."

But I'm sure there's no quid-pro-quo. Right.

My only questions -- which city neighborhoods, and which less cooperative developers, are going to be denied their due process and what will be the impact? Which labor laws will be skirted and which parts of the building code and zoning code are going to be twisted or broken?

Serious advice for Jeremy Boren: skip the Mayor next time. Ask Zober. He's the one that's running the whole operation, after all -- it's not even secret anymore. I wouldn't doubt that Luke is kept somewhat in the dark about the details, those being, city government.

##

Remember at the end of this post when we talked about "machine operators", financiers, and "money guys"? Don't miss the forest for the trees. There's a lot at stake tomorrow, and it's largely one big thing.

Ceoffe. Coghill. Payne. Kail-Smith. Ravenstahl. They appear at first glance like disparate candidates in disparate neighborhoods, but they have all been hand-selected for their pliability and persuadability, and are all being pushed hard and supported financially and politically by the same people.

Onorato. Burn. Zober. Verbanac. For starters.

And it's largely about the big gubernatorial attack run in 2010.

It'd be their own affair, but they happen to run our city's government like a family business -- to put it kindly and allusively. A job factory. A contract factory. A fishing hole. A sheep to be sheared.

Michael Lamb, in endorsing one of our progressive candidates, said, "Cleaning up Pittsburgh means more than planting flowers."

That is what we're getting today, by and large. Greening up lots. Distributing too-thin slices from a too-small pie to a few baseball teams and community councils. Taking credit for the sun rising in the morning and warming our skin. Taking credit for "riding out the recession", though Pittsburgh never blew a bubble so there was nothing to burst.

I'd actually like to blow a bubble next time. I'd like Pittsburgh to be on the leading edge. I'd like to make forward-thinking decisions based on good design principles and city planning principles, intelligent financial advice and aggressive social compassion. That's all very hard to do while we're sawing off chunks of Pittsburgh's flesh, wrapping it up like a butcher, and handing it out to friends, relatives, and contributors.

While we're shearing the sheep.

##

And Now. You know we are fortunate to have so many good men and women infusing Pittsburgh's politics with hope. A lot of them may win tomorrow -- and if enough of them do, things will get very uncomfortable for the machine operators.

But let's give credit where credit is due. There is only one candidate at this point in our history that is showing signs of truegrit. We hope he surprises everyone tomorrow.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Several readers have been pitching to the Comet what I find to be credible, noteworthy information regarding Lawrenceville United, the at-times controversial community group.

Tony Ceoffe, presently a candidate for District Magistrate in that area, has been its leader and primary executor for the last four and a half years.

Mr. Ceoffe initially returned a telephone call on this matter, but upon learning more about my blog, responded, "I'm not interested in this". I have since left voicemail messages outlining the specific questions that concerned me without further response.

Most of the issues have to do with property sales by L.U. to persons or companies who would ordinarily be disqualified from purchasing City properties -- for reasons of having track records that should make Lawrenceville residents nervous in their own right.

1) Hitchy LLC: John Quinlan. Properties at issue: 138 & 140 43rd St. Known problems: Lost three previous Lawrenceville properties at sheriff's sale; suits brought against him by two banks and the city's URA; adjoining properties owned at 142 & 144 43rd St. left essentially abandoned and unsecured until condemned and torn down by the City. Additionally, back-taxes were owed on the property at 138 & 140 before being purchased by L.U. in September of 2008 yet seem never to have been cleared.

2) Wylie Holdings: Joe Edelstein. Properties at issue: 5168 Butler St; 5165, 5167 & 5169 Dresden Way. Known problems: Non-compliance with city building and zoning codes and associated liens, and in at least one case, a judge's order; failure to pay back loans and misrepresentations on loan applications exposed by Team 4. *-UPDATE: Not entirely incidentally, disgraced development czar Pat Ford was accorded a Wylie-owned appartment in Lawrenceville upon returning to Pittsburgh.

3) Earth Vendor Capital. Property at issue: 167 1/2 Almond Way. Known problems: All twelve of its properties in Allegheny County are tax-delinquent, ten of which are actually in Lawrenceville.

There may be other items of interest involving the above mentioned properties -- queer L.U. purchase and resale value discrepancies, for example -- or other issues entirely. If my readers / sources would like to highlight those, they are welcome to do so in the comments. Just please obey my rules.

EDITORIAL COMMENTS:

Tony Ceoffe was the subject of a long, in-depth profile in the City Paper almost three years ago. Most of it made him sound like a genuine community hero.

And, increasingly, he's becoming a political heavyweight as well, at least at the neighborhood level. In the May primary, two of the five wards in his voting district elected a pair of Ceoffes as Democratic committeepeople: Tony, his wife Theresa, father Tony senior and sister Lisa. (CP, Marty Levine)

I feel like this is where problems began to arise.

As Ceoffe's successes and notoriety grew, he channeled more of his considerable energy into politics -- through the local Democratic committee, just as the Ravenstahl-Zober-Ford-Ferlo megacomplex was really coming into its own, such that unduly creative and aggressive dealmaking practices were becoming a big part of being a political high-roller.

There's no doubt Ceoffe has been effective in certain respects for Lawrenceville. Yet it looks like he has made some significant compromises and questionable calls as well -- without yet having gone through much of a semblance of accountability.

I don't feel like his set of strengths and weaknesses match up well with what I think of as being required in a judge. One wants one's judges to be scrupulously cognizant of the law, of process, and of the ramifications to others of taking risks -- being a "community guy" comes in second or third.

Ironically, his passion and his community roots suggest possibly that he'd make a better Member of Council. I don't mean to hasten Councilman Dowd's accountability moment with his future students, but that contest in two years would be a reporter's dream come true. Besides, a race for a legislative position is a little more free-wheeling; we would learn more about Mr. Ceoffe and better vet his record in such a contest.

For the BDC of the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, the story seems to officially begin with a meeting on Sept. 4 of last year.

Officials from throughout Hancock and Brooke counties, including New Cumberland, Weirton, Follansbee and Wellsburg, gathered at Williams Country Club to discuss ideas for the future of the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle.

Most of the officials gathered agreed that changes are needed, and many said there is a lack of communication, not enough funding or control of developable land, and problems with the structure of the board of directors.

"It's not the first time we've talked about it," Hancock County Commissioner Dan Greathouse said. (Weirton Daily Times, Craig Howell)

The BDC's determination to actively pursue a "reorganization" arrived at a conspicuously fortuitous time for Pat Ford, coming as it did just eight days after Ford's incendiary resignation from Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority.

It is unclear whether "the officials gathered" at the Sept. 4 meeting constituted some sort of definable set, or an informal selection.

Some of the restructuring proposed has included hiring a seasoned economic development specialist and eliminating the current board membership with a goal of getting rid of any conflict and inefficiency. (ibid)

Sounds like a job with Pat Ford's name written all over it. But how would they land him?

Bernie Kazienko, a Brooke County commissioner and member of the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle’s board of directors, asked [Wellsburg city] council to consider providing $10,500 over three years to help the organization hire an experienced economic development specialist. Kazienko said each municipality in Brooke and Hancock counties has been or will be asked to make a contribution to the BDC based on their respective populations. (WDT, Warren Scott)

Considerable lobbying would need to take place among the cities and counties of the region if together they would lure to this BDC a development czar of Mr. Ford's caliber. Kazienko and Greathouse, from Brooke and Hancock counties respectively, seem to have acted as the point-people for the marketing effort.

[Kazienko] noted he approached Follansbee Council last week seeking a commitment of $12,000 over three years, and the group’s primary concern was whether it legally can give city money to the private, nonprofit group, which operates outside the city. Kazienko presented a section of state code he believes addresses that issue, and City Solicitor Bill Cipriani agreed to review it. Council agreed unanimously to grant Kazienko’s request, pending Cipriani’s legal opinion. (ibid)

Those concerns sometimes have a way of taking care of themselves.

Also on Monday, [Follansbee city] council tabled a request from the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle for a $4,000 contribution, to be made over three years, to help the private, nonprofit economic development group to hire an experienced director to promote and assist with development in Brooke and Hancock counties. While council members said they wanted to support the BDC’s goals, there were concerns about whether city funds may be given to a private entity. City Attorney Michael Gaudio is expected to meet with Brooke County Prosecutor David B. Cross, the county commission’s legal counsel, to discuss the issue. (WDT, Warren Scott)

Although there was a potential legal issue being noticed by some, there was also a practical and political argument being made for greater cooperation and efficiency -- that being, Wellsburg's money, Follansbee's money, Beech Bottom's money, what difference does it make? They're all on the same team.

By Nov. 12th, the BDC had secured enough initial buy-in to go to Weirton and ask for a major commitment of $25,000 per year for three years.

Several concerns expressed from city council included a lack of communication, lack of specifics including a time frame of hire, as well as what the developer was going to do.

City Manager Gary DuFour said he understands that it's an elementary question to ask, but said the city would like some clear idea of what the plans will be before a decision is made. (WDT, Angelina Dickson)

Concerns in Weirton City Hall seemed to expand during the following month.

Ward 4 Councilman George Ash Sr. told the other members of city council he was prepared to support a simple resolution for one year but feels reluctant to do anything more.

"They are talking about the current board hiring a new economic developer and then reorganizing," said Ash. "I've just never seen it done this way."

"I also have a problem with them agreeing to certain things at a previous meeting and now that they've talked to Mr. Greathouse everything has changed," added Ash.

City council members expressed disliking the fact that the names of the people the BDC is planning to consider for hire have not been revealed to them.

BDC Board member John Frankovitch told the members of council at a previous meeting that the names must be kept confidential because of the fact that they each have current jobs.

"My main concern is Weirton getting what we were told we were going to get," said Ward 3 Councilman Fred Marsh. (WDT, Angelina Dickson)

Nonetheless, Weirton's Finance Commission and then City Council tentatively approved the BDC's funding -- that being, mostly, Pat Ford's compensation -- through what was becoming known as a Memorandum of Understanding among municipalities and the BDC.

Then it was back to Hancock County and its commissioner Dan Greathouse:

Marvin Six, executive director of the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle, requested a resolution of support and recognition of the BDC and the approval of a $30,000 pledge toward the grant match.

The requested pledge is part of the process of applying for the LED grant from the West Virginia Development Office.

Greathouse stated that the county commission has pledged a matching grant to the BDC for approximately 12 years. (WDT, Jen Matsick)

Strange that the BDC had not been "recognized" by Hancock County until that point.

At any rate, with funding wrangled from municipalities all over the state, on March 4 of 2009 the curtain was lifted: the people of the northern panhandle of West Virginia had successfully secured for themselves Mr. Patrick Ford.

Some of the projects the BDC has worked on include Roll Coater, the Three Springs Business Park, the Baymont Inn and Rue 21 in Weirton; Rig Packaging in Wellsburg; and moving Aladdin Signs to Beech Bottom in an attempt to keep the business in the area. (WDT, Craig Howell, via BDC release)

Those are items I'm somewhat interested in confirming and learning more about, particularly Rue 21.

Founded in 1993, the BDC is a non-profit organization formed to serve as the lead economic development agency for the two county region. As part of the efforts to reorganize, proposals have been made also to put together a new board of directors. (ibid)

Disclaimers

All views expressed in these posts and in my own comments are my own and my own alone, and do not reflect the views of any of my employers, clients, partners or patrons, past or present, real or imagined. Adding comments is a privilege, not a right. The blog author reserves the right not to publish or to remove comments for any reason, which most often will include obscenity, harassment, personal attacks, "outing" people, attempts to make the blog unpalatable to others, ASOIAF book spoilers, incessant semi-coherent rambling, and malicious and/or knowing falsehood. However, the blog author is under no obligation to do so in a timely manner or in any other manner whatsoever, and is in no way responsible for any comments written on this blog by other parties. Please fact-check everything you read relating to politics scrupulously, especially on the Internet and especially in blog comments and on message boards.